We were honored to be invited guests at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA! We are excited to share our honest opinion of our sweet family adventure.
Since I was a little girl, I have been staying at the Hershey Lodge with my family. I even remember when there used to be a movie theater on property! I have fond memories of time spent with my parents, sister and cousins playing in the pool, running up and down the hallway and meeting the characters in the lobby. Although many things have changed, one thing has remained the same. The Hershey Lodge is the perfect family getaway!
We were recently invited guests for a night at the Hershey Lodge. It was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season and celebrate my son’s birthday. From the moment we arrived, we felt at home. The Hershey Lodge offers a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes guests feel comfortable and ready to relax. From the friendly staff greeting us at the front entryway to the Kids Check-In center to the rumbling fire, the lodge is welcoming from start to finish.
Check-in was seamless, and since our room wasn’t ready yet, they offered to send a text to notify us when the room was available. As soon as we entered our room, we were in love. The room was the perfect size for my family of 4 and the beds were super comfortable. I loved all the little details like the Hershey Kisses on the sheets and the wallpaper in the bathroom, and the artwork on the walls had subtle hints of Hershey products without being overwhelming. I absolutely LOVED the bath supplies as they were all infused with cocoa making them smell delicious! The room also offered a television, coffee maker, refrigerator, safe, hair dryer, complimentary WiFi and more! Here is a tour of our room:
The Hershey Lodge has so much to offer families that it is hard to know where to start. Between their variety of dining options, family activities and the new Water Works pool complex, there is enough to stay busy for hours! There are so many amazing ways to create new family memories and even start some sweet traditions!
Ways to Create Family Memories at the Hershey Lodge
Hershey’s Water Works
Water Works is a new addition to the Hershey Lodge. It is a water playground for all ages. My kids absolutely loved every aspect of this indoor waterpark. First, they explored the sandcastle area that offered water play, slides, water cannons and sprayground area. This area is perfect for the littlest of guests. Next, my boys zipped down the Twizzlers slide. They loved racing each other down and I loved watching the smiles on their faces as they came out of the tube.
Another area they really enjoyed this visit was the main pool. They particularly enjoyed sitting on the dolphins. To explain, the 2 dolphins in the pool are attached to the floor of the pool; however, they have a great deal of give so they sway side to side. My boys belly laughed every time they tried to get on but ended up falling off.
The Reese’s Water Walk was another favorite (even for me)! For this station, there were large plastic Reese’s cups in the pool with a rope net over it. Kids can either use the net to climb across the cups or choose to cross without the net by running, jumping or crawling from cup to cup. My boys beamed with pride each time they made it across the cups. This seemed to be a favorite area for most kids as there was always a line of eager kids waiting for a turn. Don’t worry though because the line moves quickly.
The best part is that parents can watch their kids while relaxing in the hot tub!
Kid’s Check In
On Friday and Saturdays from 4pm-6pm, kids can enjoy their own check-in at the Hershey Lodge. Located in the front of the lobby, the Check-In Center is a fun way to get kids involved in their family vacation. Each child signs their name and receives a badge on a lanyard. Then they each get coloring sheets, crayons and, of course, candy. On our visit, my boys were also asked to guess how many pieces of candy were in a jar. The staff was so friendly and engaging which made this a wonderful way to kick off our stay at the lodge.
Activity Room
While the game room next door offers fun and exciting games, the Activity Room was a space my boys loved to explore even more. The room can be enjoyed by all ages but kids under 14 years old must be supervised by an adult. It offers a large Lego table full of Lego bricks which encourages open-ended play. There are also board games and playing cards that can be enjoyed on Hershey themed tables. On the wall is a giant flat screen television with bean bag chairs on the floor allowing kids to relax and watch a movie. Coloring pages and crayons can also be found to spark creativity. Check out our tour of the Activity Room:
Family Activities
Upon check-in you will receive a list of activities to enjoy during your stay at the Hershey Lodge. The list is also posted at the Kid’s Check-In Center. There are a variety of activities available for all ages including contests, games, marshmallow roasting, mini golf, meeting characters and more.
There are also seasonal activities depending on the time of year you stay. We were lucky enough to enjoy a hot chocolate bar that offered delicious toppings such as chocolate chips, chocolate whipped cream and even a chocolate dipped spoon!
Relax by the Fire
My must-do experience every time I visit the Hershey Lodge is relaxing by the fireplace in the lobby. We took the time to do this twice this trip. For our first trip to the fireplace, I enjoyed my hot chocolate from the hot chocolate bar while my kids colored the pages they received at the Kid’s Check-In. I loved just relaxing with my family and feeling grateful for the moment.
Our second trip to the fireplace was when we came back from previewing Christmas Candylane at Hersheypark. We all put on our Christmas pajamas and sat by the fire. We did this a few years ago when we stayed in the lodge and loved it so much that we decided to do it again. It was the perfect family photo moment.
We absolutely LOVED our stay at the Hershey Lodge, and we cannot wait to visit again soon! To learn more and to make reservations, visit the Hershey Lodge website. Also, make sure you check out our Facebook photo album of pictures from our stay!
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